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Friday, March 27, 2020

Growing up, our parents were in either camp: you have one child cos that is enough or you have two children, so that the siblings can grow up together, learn from and with each other and also entertain / watch out for the other. I guess my parents did not want to risk another one like me so I ended up being an only child.

Not only that, I was also a "Schluesselkind", a "key-child". Which means that from early on, I had a key to house and would be able to come and go as I needed to. When I got home, my parents would usually still be at work.

Back then, some laughed about the only child of a family. We were meant to be spoilt brats. Since we would get ALL the attention and not just half. However, what we learned was a lot better than that.

For one, being alone has never been an issue. When you get home and the parents are still out, you need to keep yourself busy. Homework (Mostly I decided that was optional for me), then me-time. That could be reading or some other hobby. As the weather in Germany is mostly miserable, being at home was the only option for many days. Today, I might prefer being outside if I can (what with the nie weather here all the time), but I don't really mind being inside.

One would be creative. One would fashion all sorts of things out of old boxes, cartons and broken down vacuum cleaners. The internet and cable TV were things we hadn't event dreamt of. A couple of bottles, a bucket and some other items now make up my home gym.

One would be responsible. Sure, the parents would be at work, but who doesn't like a warm home and a proper dinner when the family is together. During winter, the job of getting the place warmed up was mine. We had wood-fired ovens. Getting some heat out of them was a time consuming affair. Household chores? Still not a fan, but a man gotta do, what a man gotta do.

One could argue that home furnishings are more important in Europe, thanks to the weather being such that one spends a lot of time inside. Be that as it may, we have always emphasised on having a cosy and functional home. Gladly, I have also made the entire apartment a bit of a mancave. Luckily, the wife likes my style. Wouldn't want to spend the lockdown in a cold, uninspiring place....